o seasons, and had just a mon

o seasons, and had just a mon

KINGSTON, Ont. - The infectious smile was missing from Nam Nguyen last week. A favourite to win the Canadian mens title for the first time, the 16-year-old from Toronto was feeling the pressure. So his coach Brian Orser told him: Skate like you own the place. And Nguyen did. Nguyen, who won fans and melted hearts when he participated in the skating gala of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, as a precocious, bespectacled 10-year-old, scored 81.78 points to top a field that was missing three-time world champion Patrick Chan. Orser admitted Nguyen had a mini-meltdown last week. The young skater, whos fuelled by a sheer love of performing, wasnt loving anything. Weve done the junior worlds and senior worlds and its always been sort of in the hunt, and this time, theres been a lot of talk about him, a chance he could win, all that stuff, and hes starting to feel the pressure, Orser said. But thats life, thats the way it is. So we just had to put it into perspective, but I know exactly the feeling that he was going through. So I think just that discussion helped, his shoulders dropped a little bit. Nguyen admitted to nerves when he tk the ice, but he hid them well, landing a beautiful triple Axel, then a triple Lutz-triple toe lp combination, and triple flip for virtually the only clean program in an event riddled with spills. Jeremy Ten of Vancouver scored 77.80 points to stand second, while Roman Sadovsky, a 15-year-old from Vaughan, Ont., goes into Saturdays long program in third after scoring 73.46. Kevin Reynolds of Coquitlam, B.C., a three-time national silver medallist and member of Canadas team that won silver at last years Olympics in Sochi, fell on all three of his jumps to finish a disappointing 12th in the mens short. Nguyen has risen swiftly through the ranks, winning the world junior championships last spring, and then finishing third and fourth in his two senior Grand Prix events this season — Canadas top performance in mens singles. He has a really big season from last year to live up to, Orser said. The absence of Chan added to the pressure this season. Suddenly, the title was anyones for the taking. Chan, whod won the seven previous titles — including 2012, when he scored a whopping 101.33 points in the short program — is taking the season off to contemplate his future. Nguyen said the key to his success was Stay normal, dont change anything, treat everything like its a practice at the (Toronto) Cricket Club. Nguyen, who was the youngest skater to win Canadian titles at the juvenile, pre-novice-novice, and junior levels, has finally settled into his five-ft-eight frame, as well, after a growth spurt saw him sht up more than a half a ft in a year. It was really hard for me to get my jumps, especially my triple Axel because during that time, I lost it, Nguyen said of his growth spurt. After that, I started regaining my Axel, fixing my technique and now when I have a little bit of a growth spurt going on, I know how to deal with it and know I have to push through it. Nguyen lks back on his innocence at the Vancouver Olympics — when he skated in checked pants and big gfy glasses in a role that was meant to represent the future of skating — with fondness. He didnt know pressure then. I was just trying to have fun, Nguyen said. Im actually trying to keep the same mindset for myself, even though I am aware of the pressure now. Hes also aware of his growing popularity. His Twitter page — he goes by the handle @namnamndle — has 7,719 followers. He has a big fan following in Asia, Orser said. Ive never had this kind of attention on me, Nguyen said. Its kind of exciting for me, but also a little bit distracting. So I needed to ignore some of it, and also have some of that motivate me in practice sessions whenever Im feeling down. . . so for me Im feeling both. It was a disastrous afternn for Reynolds, who has had problems with ill-fitting skates for the better part of two seasons, and had just a month of solid training before arriving here. Nothing much to say. I gave it everything that I had this last year to give it a shot for this national title, and tried the best that I could, and I failed, Reynolds said. Nothing much more to say. Reynolds has had trouble finding skates that fit his uniquely narrow ft, and said last week he felt he had finally found a pair after trying skates of every brand. Incredibly disappointing to say the least, he said, fighting back tears Friday. I want to apologize to all the people who have supported me through all of this, because they didnt deserve that performance from me. All I can say is I did the best that I could. Reynolds announced late on Friday that he has withdrawn from the remainder of the competition. Ten, meanwhile, decided to give his sport one last season after battling injuries for the better part of a few years. When I made the decision to do this season, I had a great chat with Ted Barton, who works for our B.C. office, and he said Would it be worth it to stay one more season and go to nationals knowing your numbers are limited at the age that youre at, to experience what its like to compete on a national stage in front of a Canadian audience, does that seem worth it to you? And it does, at that moment it clicked, Ten said. Adidas Baratas España . Authorities in Medina, Minn., released the details one day after Cunningham was jailed for another alleged incident with the woman he had been living with for the previous eight months. Cunningham had already been charged with felony domestic assault for allegedly choking the woman last week. Adidas España Outlet . Los Angeles announced its new deal for Kupchak late in the fourth quarter of a 145-130 loss to the Houston Rockets. Kupchak had one year left on his current contract. http://www.zapatillasadidasbaratas.es/. - The Green Bay Packers got back to work on Friday without star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Zapatillas Adidas Baratas Outlet España . -- Alex Anthopoulos spoke volumes with what he didnt say on right-hander Ervin Santana. Comprar Zapatillas Adidas Baratas . - Robert Griffin III has a sprained throwing shoulder that limited him in practice Wednesday as the Washington Redskins prepared for their season finale against the Dallas Cowboys.Following an injury-plagued debut season, the return of Dave Bolland to the Leafs is in doubt as the centre gets set to hit free agency July 1. Bolland joined TSN 1050 to discuss his interest in returninng to his hometown team, and how he continues to recover from a lacerated ankle tendon injury which caused him to miss 56 games.dddddddddddd Dave Bolland: Future with Leafs, off-season ' ' '